


Date A Live: Awakening

by WrestleCrazyGamer



Category: Date A Live
Genre: Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-20 15:17:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14897001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrestleCrazyGamer/pseuds/WrestleCrazyGamer
Summary: The third child and first son of Shido Itsuka, first child to Tohka, was at the center of a disaster caused by the Spirit "Lucifer" before her death. Ten years later an event forces him to lose his humanity and have to prove that he is stable and won't cause destruction.





	1. Cerberus

Tengu City was on fire and in ruins as a small boy with short black hair tried to find his parents. Who he did find was a tall muscular woman who still bore a sexually attractive physique, dressed in dark red and silver armor wielding a massive sword and shield. Each step she took toward the child left a flaming footprint. She knelt by him setting her sword on the ground so she had a free hand to touch his cheek singing it a little.

“I have come here because my flame is dying... I am dying with it… so if I am to die, I will die by my terms. I shall light a new flame, one that shall never die...” she spoke softly placing the sword’s handle in the boy’s hands aiming the tip at her sternum.

“Get away from him!” Tohka’s voice cried.

“Thy Angel Shall Guard Thee... Three Heads Bearing Hell’s Flames… Cerberus…” she smiled crying as she hugged the boy forcing him to run her through making a transformed Tohka skid to a stop in her tracks.

Impaled on the tip of the sword was a dark red crystal with a very small, flickering, black flame within it. The crystal slowly and quietly shattered as she kissed the boy’s forehead. The blade and shield vanished, her dress followed, and she then gently fell to the ground before going up in black flame. The boy was frozen in shock as Tohka rushed to scoop him up.

“Mommy’s sorry, Mikka… mommy’s so sorry…” Tohka sobbed holding him tightly to her chest.

The boy’s name was Mikka Itsuka, and the Spirit became known as “Lucifer”. Ten years passed and no incident of that scale has happened since. Mikka was now headed to high school bearing a dark line on his cheek from when Lucifer singed him. He has two older siblings watching over him as well, Licensed Defense Spirits “Titan” and “Fury”, who work closely with the reformed AST. The new AST is now partnered with Ratatoskr, only killing Spirits that Ratatoskr deems incapable of being sealed or taught to control their powers. 

Spirits have become commonplace in the past generation, as have Spirit Sealers, making them a common minority the world over now. What happens now is when a child exhibits signs of becoming a Spirit, or flat out awakens as one, they’re paired with a Sealer who shows signs of their powers from birth through various tests - though there are the occasional late bloomers in both respects. Spirits who learn to control the full extent of their powers can become Licensed Defense Spirits, who hold a military rank equivalent to a Sergeant General and are often called to assist the AST when needed. It’s not uncommon for pairs to become lovers either, as Sealers still play a large part in the stability of a Spirit’s power.

“You’re really the only one of your siblings who isn’t a Spirit?” one girl classmate questioned Mikka.

“Yeah. Satsuki and Tamari are both Spirits, married and engaged respectfully to their Sealers.” Mikka answered.

“Is it true that Tamari is only your half-sister?” another girl asked.

“I’ve answered this a thousand times by now, but yes, both Tamari and Satsuki have a different mother from me.” Mikka sighed.

“Wait, both are your half-sisters?” a third girl gasped.

“Yes. Both Satsuki and Tamari were born to Origami Itsuka. I was born to Tohka Itsuka.” Mikka confirmed.

“So, how come your family is allowed to be polygamous?” a male student asked.

“It was part of Ratatoskr’s terms to allowing the AST to join forces with them. My dad became an accidental playboy as the only Sealer of his generation.” Mikka answered while closing his book as the class bell rang.

Class went by as usual, with nothing major happening. During gym they were practicing hitting softballs in pairs. Just as Mikka was about to swing at his partner’s pitch, a softball out of nowhere struck the back of his neck rendering him unconscious. The girl who pitched it and her partner panicked running to get the teacher and explained that the hitter missed causing the ball to keep going. The teacher had them rush Mikka to the nurse’s office for immediate treatment.

“He got off lucky with just a concussion, there’s no residual or permanent damage to his neck.” the nurse sighed with relief.

“That’s a relief…” the hitter smiled.

“Can you tell him that I’m really sorry…?” the pitcher asked looking almost ready to cry.

“Itsuka-san is forgiving in most instances, especially if it was unintentional. Go on back to class, I’ll watch him here.” the nurse smiled.

When Mikka opened his eyes he was in his bedroom stark naked. He hurried to get dressed and figure out what happened. In his trash can was one of his uniforms, but it was torn up and covered in blood. It made him be on alert when he left his room. Seemingly none of his family were home. Stabbed into the floor of the living room was a jet black greatsword with a pulsing purple blade seemingly made of crystal with a burning black flame within it. At the point where the blade enters the floor he could see obvious scorch marks - that sword was burning hot. 

“It doesn’t belong to either of my sisters... not mom’s… not to any of my half-mothers... who does this sword belong to…?” Mikka questioned as he looked around expecting to see someone suspicious.

He searched the whole house, but didn’t find anything else out of the ordinary. After returning to the living room, out of nowhere Kotori socked his gut making him wheeze in pain falling back on the floor twitching. She looked disappointed for some reason.

“I guess it really was a fluke.” she sighed.

“It can be assumed that he will have no memory of the past seven hours then.” Origami told her.

“Origami…? Aunt Kotori…?” Mikka groaned gathering his senses.

“That means his awakening wasn’t caused naturally, and someone forced it to happen. I wonder who and what their methods were...” Kotori smirked.

“First there would need to be the prerequisite condition that he is the child of a Spirit.” Reine piped up.

“Well, prerequisites or not, he’s earned the designation ‘Hades’ thanks to tonight.” Kotori sighed.

“What are you talking about?” Mikka asked her while sitting up.

“You, Mikka Itsuka, have been experimented with. Somehow you’ve become Spirit and Sealer both with no real stimulation, or at least it appears that way. Ratatoskr and the AST will be monitoring you from now on to determine if you can control both sets of powers.” Kotori explained.

“I still don’t have any idea what you’re talking about…” Mikka sighed.

“I wonder if he’s repressing it… or maybe it is something similar to Yoshino, but only one personality can remember what happened while in Spirit form. Or could it be that something else is causing it...” Reine pondered to herself staring at him intently.

“Mikka, can you remove your weapon from the floor?” Origami requested.

“You’re saying that’s mine…?” Mikka questioned as he stood up and approached it.

“When you awakened you called out the name ‘Cerberus’ which spawned that sword from otherworldly flames. The odd part is how no Astral Garb beyond a dark purple gauntlet on your dominant hand formed after doing so.” Origami explained.

“You also exhibit some hyper healing abilities as the AST were forced to defend themselves from you, yet here you are without a scratch on your body despite your blood being spilled everywhere.” Kotori added.

“I didn’t kill anyone… did I…?” Mikka asked nervously.

“You came this close.” Origami answered gesturing a very tiny amount with her fingers.

“She’ll live thankfully, even if she’ll be forced to retire from field work in the AST at only nineteen years old to sit behind a desk. She gave her ability to walk to save a newbie who got stuck under some rubble.” Kotori added.

“No one died… good…” Mikka sighed with relief.

“She didn’t tell him about the arrangements after all...” Origami thought to herself looking at Kotori.

Morning came and Mikka felt heavy laying in bed. He opened his eyes and found breasts on his face. In a panic he began struggling and thrashed eventually knocking the owner off his bed.

“Wow, they weren’t kidding, you were at my mercy just the other day and now you can throw me off with ease!” a girl’s voice laughed.

Sitting on the floor in sweats and a black tank top was a girl with long silver hair. It was of course Tamari, a.k.a the Spirit “Fury”, his older half-sister by two years. She has a bad habit of teasing him with her womanly wiles since puberty, and continues to do so even while engaged to her Sealer. Tamari, just like Satsuki, both work out so they easily overpower him most of the time in their teasing as well.

“Tamari… you have a lover to do that with.” Mikka growled.

“He doesn’t give me the same rise you do. You panic when I do smother you, I get instant karma when I smother him.” Tamari winked.

“I assume that ‘karma’ is adult in nature.” Mikka scoffed.

“It’s more than okay since it’s him. Plus he knows all of my sensitive areas and just how to exploit them. Speaking of karma, I think I’ll go see him after my morning run...” Tamari giggled before casually leaving the room like nothing happened.

“Hope you get knocked up…” Mikka growled.

He went about his morning as usual after that - showering, getting dressed, breakfast, and then making sure all of his homework is in order. When he finally left to go to school several AST vehicles were waiting outside with a blood red Impala outside. He knew that car way too well. It belonged to his oldest half-sister, Satsuki a.k.a. Spirit “Titan”. The car was a wedding gift from Ratatoskr. Sitting in the front seat was of course Satsuki, wearing her long pale blue hair in a braided bun with shades and a white pantsuit.

“Long time no see, sis.” Mikka smiled.

“Get in.” she spoke in a serious tone making him obey without question.

The drive was silent as the AST escorted them. It was very rare that Satsuki was ever in this serious a mood. They soon passed the high school, or what was left of it, startling Mikka. He started to break out in a cold sweat right as they turned the corner.

“Sis… by any chance… did I do that…?” Mikka nervously asked her.

“Some students were injured, but there were thankfully no fatalities.” she replied without even looking at him.

“Where are we going…?” Mikka nervously asked her, but received no response.

“Sis, where are we going?” Mikka demanded to know, but still nothing.

“Satsuki!” Mikka cried and she slammed the breaks hitting his head on the dash.

“We’re heading for Spirit Rectification Academy… the same damned school that I was forced to go to instead of a normal high school. Your powers were deemed too unstable to chance in a regular school. Ratatoskr tried to argue in your favor, but the government held firm. If you don’t improve here… you’ll be… I shouldn’t even have to say it, you know how it works.” Satsuki answered gripping the wheel tightly trying not to cry.

“You’re kidding… right...?” Mikka whimpered.

“You thought Tamari was teasing you again this morning, probably… well I caught her on her way out the door and told her the news this morning, and she ran right back inside. She might have been holding you tight and saying a prayer. I know for damn sure I’ve been praying since I saw you last night.” Satsuki told him.

“Let’s keep it moving! We have a schedule to keep!” one of the AST soldiers called from the front vehicle.

The convoy continued moving from there in complete silence. They came to a stop just outside the city at the gates of a massive school. Reine was there waiting for them. Satsuki gave Mikka a tight hug before letting him out of the car.

“This will be your school from now on. Satsuki will be your chauffeur to and from school.” Reine addressed him.

“Why?” Mikka asked her.

“She volunteered, refusing to let the AST attempt intimidating you each day.” she answered escorting him into the colossal school yard with gardens and shrubbery decorating it.

“I guess that I really shocked everyone… now people are scared of me too...” Mikka sighed in disappointment.

“You won’t experience that here. Everyone is either a Spirit or a Sealer. You are a notable rarity being both at once.” Reine told him.

“I see…” Mikka shrugged, not really caring about the details.

“Listen to me, Mikka. Someone tampered with you and I’m fairly certain that it is the same person that caused the sudden boom in Spirit and Sealer populations. The number of Spirits should be finite, but that is no longer the case.” Reine whispered to him.

“What do you mean?” he asked her.

“Whoever it is has a special interest in you. If we play our hand right, we may be able to discern their identity and what their intentions are. If you’re approached by someone with an odd interest in you, try not to push away so readily.” Reine answered quietly as they reached the doors.

Once inside Mikka was shocked to find that the students’ uniforms were divided into two color schemes - black and gold colors and red and white colors. The black and gold was almost entirely worn by the girls leaving the majority of the guys in red and white colors. Reine explained that the colors represent Sealer and Spirit, with the Spirit male-female ratio being 1 to 20. He was then shown to the headmaster’s office where to his surprise Yoshino was sitting behind the desk.

“Yoshino?” Mikka questioned tilting his head.

“You’d better behave yourself or I’ll beat you good!” Yoshinon barked.

“Yes ma’am.” Mikka smiled.

“Yoshino became headmistress after her predecessor had to step down... for medical reasons.” Reine explained.

“In other words Ratatoskr, or at least Aunt Kotori, had something to do with it.” Mikka thought to himself.

“I hope that you can learn to control your powers.” Yoshino smiled.

“You can do that while helping with our delinquent problem.” Yoshinon told him.

“Delinquent… problem?” Mikka asked nervously.

“Some of the girls abandoned using their Sealer and are trying to take over the school in their own ways using their Spirit powers. They refused to fall in love, so you have to do it the hard way and force their powers to be sealed. You have both the power to fight and defend, making your situation unique for dealing with them.” Reine explained.

“In other words I’m being tested, and if I can do this they’ll call my power stable.” Mikka sighed.

“Good, you understand, now get to work.” Yoshinon cackled.

“Now the experiment begins. Just what is the true power of Cerberus, the Angel born from Sandalphon…?” Reine pondered to herself.


	2. Hades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makki calls on his Angel and Spirit Powers for the first time, at least consciously.

The first day of school Mikka already had a reputation as a troublemaker, all due to speculation on his Spirit name’s implications. Mikka just knew that things were going to be bad. When the second day came, they were already boiling - everyone wanted to see what “Hades” was going to bring to Combat Class. He wasn’t even sure if he could call out his Angel at all. 

Combat Class came around and sure enough he was first up. His opponent was going to be a second year, because of course. A Spirit named “Cleaver”, a rather slim girl with a modest build bearing short red hair. Her Astral Dress looked similar to barbarian armor with tan and gold coloration. Her weapons were twin war cleavers larger than she was, as her name suggested. 

“Cerberus.” Mikka called, but got no response.

“Are you messing around?” Cleaver asked.

“Not intentionally. Cerberus!” Mikka responded, but was again ignored.

“Why isn’t it coming…? Mom makes calling Sandalphon look so easy...” Mikka questioned.

“I am coming to you then.” Cleaver sighed.

She leapt swinging viciously at Mikka forcing him to dodge. He continued trying to call on Cerberus, but wasn’t getting a response. His gym clothes were getting torn up and he was receiving all kinds of cuts. Why wasn’t it coming to him?!

“This is Hades…? Pathetic… he’s so weak…” the teacher sighed.

The entirety of the class let out sighs of disappointment. Cleaver cut a tree in half and it landed on Mikka trapping him. She split the tree purposely allowing him to get up. The cries telling him to surrender were truly getting under his skin now.

“No one will look down on you for it.” Cleaver told him aiming her cleaver at his throat.

Her words made something rip free. His feelings of defenselessness and helplessness began to churn… and turn to hate. He started to cry as that fury quickly boiled to the surface. It was like his entire body was on fire.

“CERBERUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!!!” he screamed, and all of a sudden the sky became dark silencing the class.

Red lightning crashed down from the heavens making Cleaver leap back to avoid it. The scorch marks made red electricity travel to form a line of sparks in the dirt. Out of nowhere a massive black marble double-door bearing a devil motif burst from the ground taking their breath away. Mikka walked to the front side of it and the doors slowly opened making eerie purple flames rage out appearing to set him fire. When it went out his gym clothes were revealed to have been replaced by dark purple and black platemail. His wounds appeared to have been healed as well.

“Next time, you come the first time I call you… or you’ll regret it…” Mikka scowled boldly reaching into the fire making a very large canine yelp loudly spooking the class. 

He pulled his arm back out holding a very long object bathed in the purple flames startling Cleaver. Mikka then cut the gate in two making it explode into dust that rushed into the flames causing them to take physical shape as the weapon from his living room. Occasionally red electricity sparked from the dark purple crystal in the center of the guard.

“First Head, Ignite.” Mikka spoke and the edge of his sword suddenly began to emit the same purple flames as the gate.

“So you intend to fight seriously now.” Cleaver spoke readying for battle.

With a single swing he cracked her cleavers and sent her flying. Cleaver got up and found that some of the flames were stuck to where he hit her cleavers.

“Second Head, Detonate.” Mikka spoke and the flames suddenly began flashing a lighter color before exploding sending Cleaver through the sports equipment shed as the top halves of her cleavers stabbed the ground.

“What power… this is the child of Princess…” the teacher marvelled as Mikka aimed his sword at Cleaver, who could barely stand.

“I concede…” Cleaver coughed spitting a little blood.

“Third Head, Lance.” Mikka spoke and his blade expanded along the vein-like designs showing red energy in the sword’s internal workings that fired a lightning quick energy beam skewering Cleaver’s abdomen.

“Now you can concede.” Mikka scoffed.

Cleaver was rushed to the schools on-campus ER immediately. When Mikka reverted he lost consciousness, and the Cerberus blade remained as its edge went out. Yoshinon scolded the teacher for her negligence in safety precautions and controlling her students. She was also holding her accountable for allowing Cleaver to be wounded so badly. The end result of Mikka’s battle was Hades earning a reputation as a killer, since they almost lost Cleaver three times before she stabilized. Mikka didn’t remember doing anything beyond calling Cerberus either. Reine called Mikka aboard the Fraxinus to thoroughly examine his weapon.

“We currently don’t know anything significant about Cerberus and why it has remained summoned. The handle is room temperature at all times, but the blade itself is ice cold despite the heat signature saying that it’s a startling 2,000 degrees and should be setting everything around it on fire or heavily burning the environment.” Reine explained to Mikka.

“Cold fire?” Mikka joked.

“Perhaps. Your weapon is an Angel, and they can occasionally have abilities that make no sense. So maybe it is cool as ice when not in use, but once it is used in battle it releases its true temperature.” Reine theorized.

“Don’t forget that we know it employs a three-headed special attack style - Ignite, Detonate, and Lance. There may even be different variations or even entire functions that we don’t know of yet.” Kotori spoke as she entered the observation room.

“Apparently my head gets foggy when I call my Astral Garb though. I don’t remember doing a thing to her...” Mikka sighed.

“Your mental state wasn’t right when you called it last. Don’t forget, Spirit powers and disposition are heavily influenced by emotion and mental status.” Kotori reminded him.

“Yoshino has personally put in to the school board that due to the teacher’s negligence of student safety and anti-bullying rules you are to go unpunished. It passed with total agreement, something completely unheard of before now. Due to this decision the teacher resigned, so you will receive a new instructor within the week.” Reine informed Mikka.

At the on-campus gym a gorgeous female student with long blue hair dressed in a red one-piece competitive swimsuit was allowing herself to be bear hugged by a male student wearing a lucha mask and black singlet inside a wrestling ring. She moaned in pleasure with each successive squeeze with a big dirty smile on her face. The girl would cry out defiantly when the female referee would ask if she submits. A girl student with short brown hair then hurried in.

“Council President Haruka! It’s as you suspected, Hades is indeed powerful! His evaluation just came in, he’s  an S-Rank Threat!” the girl called to her making her opponent stop squeezing.

“Can it wait…? We still have ten minutes on the clock and I’m not ready to ring the bell yet...” Haruka asked the girl bending backward to look at her.

“You’re the one who said to inform you the instant we receive the news so we can plan a way to bring him under your control. So, by your own words, it cannot wait.” the girl answered.

“Fine… tombstone and hook my leg, Seiji. Be sure to edit out the conversation as flawlessly as possible. Make sure the rest of today’s matches go without a hitch too...” Haruka sighed.

Her opponent then twirled her to get in position and brought her down. He hooked her leg as instructed and their female referee counted the pin before signaling the bell. Haruka then got up as if nothing happened and slipped out of the ring using a towel for her sweat as she sipped a water bottle.

“It’s hard work making these ‘Girls Meet Wrestlers’ movies you know, if we mess up we have to start entire rounds over. Sometimes entire matches if we get interrupted too long.” Haruka complained as she walked with the girl to the locker room.

“Why entire matches?” the girl asked as Haruka slipped on a pair of jeans not changing from the swimsuit.

“When you have a certain flow it’s noticeable if it’s been edited; consistency of momentum and energy is key to keeping viewers engrossed. Trust me, they get taken out of it if your pacing changes.” Haruka lectured her.

“By the way, you still have the minor audience who want more evenly booked battles and girls going over.” the girl told her.

“Maybe for the Valentine’s Day Grapplefest film I’ll treat them a bit. I, for one, won’t be winning period.” Haruka sighed as they left the on-campus gym together. 

“Why not? You’re a big time favorite they want to finally get a big win in the series, even be champion.” the girl asked.

“No, because that means constant winning to earn the title shot and then having a decent run as champion which means more winning. My masochist side wouldn’t get treated at all.” Haruka explained with a wink.

“You always have put your wants over what others want.” the girl sighed.

“I put my masochism before success is what you mean. I cater to everyone eventually, just not with myself.” Haruka corrected her as they entered the main school building heading for the student council room.

“Headmistress Yoshino wanted our cooperation with the delinquents, by the way. We’re to provide any support Hades may need.” she told her.

“In other words something to get in the way of filming…” Haruka sighed reading some papers on her desk.

“Her words are absolute.” the girl told her.

“This actually works out in our favor… our Disciplinary Chair stepped down after marrying her Sealer recently, so that spot is open. He can do what he needs to without my consent if he holds that chair’s authority…” Haruka giggled.

“You just don’t want to leave filming alone.” the girl sighed.

“Of course not, the director needs me to fill in whenever she can’t make it. Plus I always have my matches memorized so I don’t have a problem secretly walking my opponent through the spots.” Haruka smiled stamping each request either yes or no.

“The students might be terrified to suddenly have a first year become the Disciplinary Chair though, especially with Hades’ reputation.” the girl told her.

“I’ll leave it to you then, Yukina. You are Vice-President and my most trusted friend. You’re also the one who got the old headmaster to trust me enough to even run for student council after the entrance ceremony debacle.” Haruka smiled.

“I’ll deal with getting him in, but you have to promise me a choke out loss.” Yukina smiled.

“I just said that I hate winning!” Haruka gasped.

“If you don’t, I’ll force you to handle it.” Yukina giggled sticking her tongue out.

“Uh… um… an iron man match! A twenty-minute iron man match! I-I’ll score one point and that will be the choke out!” Haruka suggested in a panic.

“Hmm… four points.” Yukina negotiated.

“Y-You want me to score four times?! N-No, please, the most my masochism could allow is two…” Haruka gasped in horror.

“Three.” Yukina bartered with a grin on her face.

“You’re so cruel… fine! Three points! They’re going to be right at the start though!” Haruka cried in agitation.

“I’ll make sure he’s on the council right away.” Yukina smiled.


	3. Lucifer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Oh wow it's been forever getting back to this. Here's a new chapter for you. Enjoy.

After school Mikka had been called to the Student Council Room. Waiting there for him was Yukina. He was a little confused as he hadn’t done anything.

“Itsuka-san, I’m making you the Student Council Disciplinary Chair. We received word from the headmistress and believe this position will make handling delinquents easiest for you.” Yukina smiled.

“Oh, that’s what this is about. I thought I was in trouble.” Mikka sighed with relief.

“Of course not. You haven’t done anything to get on the Student Council’s radar. All you have to do is make sure your grades stay above a D and that you don’t abuse your authority.” Yukina assured him.

“What exactly does my authority extend to?” Mikka asked her.

“You can skip class to handle a delinquent, though you have to inform your homeroom teacher before class starts stating specifically who you’re going to see. You’re also able to give suspensions if a student’s actions are warranting it, we’ll be providing a pocket disciplinary handbook so you can tell what’s minor and what’s major. You can also organize assemblies to talk about real problems in the school itself, though that one has to go through the president herself for approval.” Yukina explained.

“I see. Is there a list of delinquents I can use?” Mikka asked.

“Of course. The council president had them compiled into a neat roster for you, ordered weakest to strongest.” Yukina smiled handing him a small black roster folder.

Inside were the profiles of each girl that had turned delinquent. It had their measurements, human personality, likes, dislikes, their dream - everything you’d need to know for a dating sim. Oddly enough it had their insecurities listed as well, along with their common spots. He didn’t know the first thing about girls, so he went to someone who could help him… Aunt Kotori.

“You want our help to score these girls?” Kotori asked.

“You helped dad seal Spirits including my mom before. If anyone can help a guy with no dating experience it’s Ratatoskr.” Mikka answered bowing.

“The problem is that not all of them want to be loved. You’ll have to go about it the hard way.” Reine told him.

“No. Those girls are abiding by powerful wills. If he crushes them, they’ll be wide open to being sealed from their despair.” Kotori chuckled.

“Commander, your sadism is leaking through.” Reine told her.

“I’d rather not fight if I don’t have to.” Mikka spoke up.

“You’ve never dealt with delinquents before. They’re quick to violence, always want their way, and are willing to cheat and break the law to get it.” Kotori grinned.

“It’s still pretty rude to attack a girl, let alone anyone, out of nowhere without proper warning.” Mikka sighed.

“Mikka. Listen to yourself. You’re a guy that they’ll walk all over if you give them the chance. So be firm and swing that sword of yours if they give you any trouble. Trust me, they won’t hold back using their powers to further their reputation.” Kotori spelled out for him putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry to say, Mikka, but battle is unavoidable. You will have to take your blade up against girls.” Reine told him.

That night Ratatoskr visited the nearby AST base. The base leader said there was someone they should meet. Kotori and Reine were escorted to an underground facility where many crippled AST soldiers were staying. They entered Room 2319 and Kotori was in disbelief. Laying in the bed in patient’s garb was Lucifer in human form. Her hair was a very deep red now and her eyes were ice blue. Sitting in a wheelchair by her was a teenage girl with long green hair missing her legs entirely who was also dressed in patient garb.

“What is the meaning of this?” Kotori asked in a stern voice.

“It happened a few days ago. Our troops were doing their regularly scheduled patrols and one group found her unconscious and naked just outside of the front gate. We’re more than 90% sure that she’s Lucifer, but she hasn’t been very responsive even after recovering consciousness so we haven’t been able to ask her for clarification.” a soldier explained.

“I know one way to check. Does she have a scar where her sternum should be?” Kotori asked.

“I think we saw something like that during examination…” the soldier answered trying to think back.

“It’s more of a black line due to being cauterized upon her impalement during the incident.” the wheelchair girl stated.

“Who’s this?” Reine asked the soldier.

“Sergeant Major Tsukasa Toujou, one of the youngest to ever attain her rank in the AST. She was active in the field until a few years ago. She gave her legs to save a group of civilians during the Lucifer Incident.” the soldier answered.

“If I could still walk I’d probably strangle her here and now, but I know that she still has information we need...” Tsukasa told them.

“How do you feel about Mikka Itsuka?” Kotori asked.

“We were in preschool together. He was nice and let me play with the blocks alongside him. After that we were always in different classes, and during second grade I was recruited to the AST. I’d like a chance to know if he remained the same kind hearted boy I knew in kindergarten, or if he turned out rotten like the other boys in our class.” Tsukasa answered.

“Toujou-san, how would you feel if we told you that you could walk again? To be able to go see Mikka on your own terms?” Reine asked shooting a look at Kotori who nodded affirmingly.

“Don’t make me laugh. The doctors here on the base already dashed any hope of walking again. I barely have any feeling in my hips as it is and I can’t move my leg stumps so prosthetics are out.” Tsukasa scoffed with a meek smile.

“We at Ratatoskr have developed a way to give the crippled their sight, their ability to touch, and their ability to walk back. The process is excruciatingly painful, but we have confirmed cases of it working.” Reine explained to her.

“I’m not paying money for something like that.” Tsukasa sighed.

“The AST is partnered with Ratatoskr. We don’t charge a thing. All we ask is your cooperation.” Kotori told her.

“It will really let me walk…?” Tsukasa asked nervously.

“It’s a promise.” Reine answered.

“I’ll endure any pain it might hold for me…” Tsukasa spoke gritting her teeth and clenching her fists.

The preparations were made and Tsukasa was taken aboard the Fraxinus. They were not lying when they said it would be painful. They had to remove the dead and dying nerves from her and replace them with synthetic nerves first so her hips would be fully responsive to the rest of the process. Next came custom-cast titanium prosthetic legs with more of the veins within them. Tsukasa almost lost consciousness several times from screaming in agony as the legs bonded and attached to the synthetic nerve-endings and her reopened leg stumps and flesh. They thought she’d gone catatonic for a minute, but then her metal toes flexed. Within minutes she was able to fully move her new legs.

“All that’s left is the adjustment and therapy sessions, to make sure they’re syncing up perfectly.” Reine told her.

Meanwhile at the school, Mikka was nervous about confronting the first girl on his list - Fujiko Hasegawa, Class B Spirit “Angel of Music”. It didn’t help that all of the delinquents were Class B and higher either. Fujiko likes to hide out in the old schoolhouse across campus, due to her dark and reclusive nature. The downside to that is Mikka hates rickety buildings - they send his anxiety through the roof.

He slowly entered and every creak of the floorboards made him feel worse and worse. He really did not want to be in there, but he had to. Eventually Mikka made it up to the third floor music room where he heard a very off-key piano being played. He opened the door and sitting at the piano was a female student with very long black hair and bangs almost entirely hiding her face. When she turned to look at him her skin was almost ghostly white.

“Fujiko Hasegawa? I’m the Disciplinary Chair of the Student Council. I’ve come to ask that you return to class.” Mikka addressed her.

“I’m not going. Not until I make everyone love me.” a girl’s voice replied from somewhere other than her body.

“You can make people fall in love with you?” Mikka questioned.

“My power over music captivates others. An accident during a concert made my face frightening to look at. Even my Sealer was too afraid to kiss me. So if they won’t love me… then I will force them through song.” her voice answered.

“That won’t make people love you. It’d be as hollow as having people lie to your face.” Mikka told her.

“What would you know?” she asked.

“If you want love then the love has to come from you. If you can’t overcome your face then how can others?” Mikka replied and the entire building began to shake.

“You don’t know anything!  _ Phantom _ !” she screamed as darkness hid her corner of the room. 

When the darkness faded she’d transformed into Spirit Form. She was wearing a metal mask only showing her left eye and looked to be dressed in a black and red bridal dress with piano keys around her skirt and various woodwinds forming wings on her back. She then summoned a pitch black violin and played a chord sending powerful sound waves knocking Mikka through the wall out into the courtyard.

“I hate it when Aunt Kotori’s right…” Mikka groaned getting to his feet as she flew out aiming to swing her bow at him as it began emitting a black energy.

To his shock all of her instruments moved to unleash soundwave attacks as she swung her bow like a sword leaving fine cuts whenever he couldn’t dodge. If this kept up he’d be ribbons sooner than later. When he saw an opening he kicked her gut knocking her back from him.

“Cerberus!” he called, but it ignored him like last time.

“OH COME ON!!!”

Fujiko kept coming as he kept trying to call to Cerberus, but his calls seemed to fall on deaf ears once again. The injuries were starting to pile up as his vision became shaky. He took a risk dodging a thrust reaching for one of her guitards to slam it over her head making her stumble falling to her hands in knees. Surprisingly it didn’t break despite what he’s seen on TV as it tore itself from his grip to return to her wing.

“You… used my own instrument… against me…” she growled angrily as a black puddle formed under her.

“Cerberus! Cerberus, get out here right now!” Mikka demanded in a panic frantically looking around for it.

“ _ Phantom of Music _ !” she screamed making a small spacequake around her that knocked him flying into the building.

When it faded her gown became closer to an opera singer’s as a massive shadow dragon head, tail, and wings extended from her lower back. Her wings were now solid black lines attaching to the instruments which had now become demonic in appearance. Her mask now bore a purple flame emanating from her covered eye. A spacequake siren then began to blare as she blew away the top half of the old school with a melodious roar from the dragon head. Mikka was bleeding from his head unable to open his right eye with a piece of wood piercing his leg.

“You are going to die!” she screamed as the dragon readied to breathe blue flames.

“CERBERUS!!!” Mikka screamed and at last the red lightning struck the ground with enough force to knock Fujiko backward into the yard causing the dragon to fire off into the heavens.

The doors opened on their own making the flames bathe him. To her shock he stood up as the flames faded revealing his injuries healed and his clothes replaced by his Astral Garb. The look on his face could only be described as fury.

“Cerberus. I’m only going to tell you once more. When I call for you, you are to arrive the first time and not when I’m wounded.” he scolded as he reached inside prompting a frightened yelp.

He then pulled his weapon out and shattered the gate to forge its physical form once more. Fujiko tried to strike him and her bow caught on fire making her gasp dropping it as she leapt back. He stepped toward her and burning purple embers were left where his foot once was.

“W-What are you?!” she demanded to know.

“I am the Disciplinary Chair, Mikka Itsuka. You refused to return to class quietly, so now you’ve incurred my wrath.” he spoke in a slightly deeper voice than before.

She tried to attack with her dragon and he decapitated it in a single swing causing the rest of it to vanish. Trembling she fell backward unable to look away from his scornful glare. She could only watch as he took off her mask to reveal that three-fourths of her face and some of her neck was covered in horrible burn scars and her left eye was heavily discolored.

“NO!!! DON’T LOOK AT ME!!!” she screamed hiding her face starting to cry uncontrollably.

“There is no ugliness to your appearance, you merely fabricated people’s thoughts and feelings. You allowed yourself to believe their looks of empathy were out of disgust. So you hid away and believed you needed to force people to love you.” Mikka lectured her as he smashed the instruments of her left wing with a single swing of Cerberus.

“How can you understand my pain…? You aren’t scarred like me… you aren’t a musician like me…” she sobbed.

“I don’t need to personally know your pain or be a musician to empathise with you. It’s the human nature to express sadness at another’s misfortune. Your Sealer is one thing, but as for everyone else you won’t know if they can be your friends unless you accept yourself.” Mikka continued to lecture as he smashed the instruments on her other wing.

“I can’t… I can’t…” she sobbed as it started raining.

“You leave me no choice then.” Mikka scowled raising Cerberus.

“Wait! Don’t hurt her!” a boy’s voice cried as Mikka swung, but no flesh was cut…

Fujiko looked up and found that he’s cut her bangs exposing her face more clearly. A male student with short messy brown hair then skid to a stop breathing heavily just a few feet from them. Mikka gave him a cold look as his expression seemed to soften a little.

“Ushio…” she sobbed still half-trying to hide her face.

“You are her Sealer?” Mikka asked.

“I was… I can’t call myself that now after how I reacted when she showed me her face… I came to apologize to her, and ask if she’ll forgive me.” Ushio answered.

“What will you do if I stay my blade?” Mikka asked.

“I’ll bear it… and be her Sealer again, if she’ll have me.” he answered.

“It is clear she wants a relationship. Will you be able to accept her as she is?” Mikka narrowed his eyes analyzing him.

“What?” he spoke looking slightly left.

“You only came to clean your conscience. Leave now.” Mikka glared at him.

“Hold on, you can’t-” he started talking when Mikka stepped toward him with a bloodthirsty glare.

“You aren’t worthy of her affections.” Mikka snarled.

“H-Hey now…” he chuckled nervously.

“You think that a girls’ feelings can be toyed with like that? You attempted to be romantic until you saw her face. You then proceeded to ignore her existence until I came to deliver punishment. Scum like you don’t deserve the powers you were born with.” Mikka scolded him making Ushio back up trembling.

“C-Come on… that face…” Ushio managed to get out looking afraid for his life.

“Leave  _ now _ , and  _ never _ come near her again.” Mikka demanded and Ushio fled screaming like a little girl.

“Why…? Why would you go so far for me…?” Fujiko sobbed.

“I believe there’s love for everyone out there. True love lets you accept yourself no matter who you are, because the person who loves you accepts your faults along with your proficiencies.” Mikka answered.

“What now…? Are you going to kill me…?” she asked.

“No. Today on I will serve as your Sealer. You can rely on me when you need me. I will hear you out no matter what it is. Even if you just need someone to hold you, I’ll be there. If love blossoms from that relationship, then so be it.” he answered startling her.

“ **_Who could ever love a girl with a face like that?_ ** ”

“ **_I feel sorry for whoever gets assigned to her._ ** ”

“ **_It’s a shame, she’s a natural with any instrument._ ** ”

Hundreds of comments she’d heard over the years flooded Fujiko’s mind as she stared at Mikka. All of it made her heart sting. She wanted to die… but Mikka’s words cut through. His words held genuine meaning.

“ _ I’ll be there for you. _ ”

She couldn’t control her body. Fujiko leapt onto him and kissed him on the lips causing her Astral Dress to turn to light leaving her naked. Mikka then reverted and tried to move, but she held firm.

“I’ll be exposed if you move…” she admitted.

“I’ll lend you my shirt and jacket for now…” Mikka chuckled nervously as he blushed slightly.

Watching from afar was a young man with long black hair held in a ponytail dressed in a suit. By his side was a busty woman with long blonde hair in a pantsuit holding an umbrella up over them. He had a wide grin on his face.

“See that? I think the boss will be happy with the outcome.” he snickered.

“It is only partially responsive though.” she told him.

“That’ll change soon enough. Remember how long it took Venus to be able to reliably call on her Angel?” he smiled.

“What will we do should the Sleeping Ones awaken?” she asked.

“Deal with them accordingly. Don’t ask stupid questions.” he snickered patting her shoulder.

“You don’t worry enough…”

“You worry too much.”


End file.
